Inner Tire Wear. Advice Needed

[KellyJoe]

Has anyone else experienced an almost mirror image inner tire wear from one side to the other on the front? Looks like a toe out misalignment but exactly the same on both sides? And no pull or drift at all! Handles and drives great in fact.

Ownership is just a few months w/ 56K. ('91) I haven't driven in a way to warrant seeing the type of wear that I am. Don't know if previous owner did. I am going to get some new front shoes and check/realign all the way around but am very curious if this happening or has happened to anyone else. Just gotta know.

 

[Steve]

Originally posted by KellyJoe:
Has anyone else experienced an almost mirror image inner tire wear from one side to the other on the front? Looks like a toe out misalignment but exactly the same on both sides? And no pull or drift at all! Handles and drives great in fact.

Ownership is just a few months w/ 56K. ('91) I haven't driven in a way to warrant seeing the type of wear that I am. Don't know if previous owner did. I am going to get some new front shoes and check/realign all the way around but am very curious if this happening or has happened to anyone else. Just gotta know.

 

[Steve]

This is typical tire wear for the NSX, especially the 91. The car is set up this way to quicken the steering. It can be corrected, but will change the way the car handles.

 

[KellyJoe]

So your saying that if I have it set to factory specs I'll typically see this?

I can live with that and it does put me a little more at ease, it just seems like a waste of alot of rubber.

Thanks

 

[KellyJoe]

Found the FAQ.

Ahhh the endless opportunities to prove to the rest of the world that I am in fact a rookie.

 

[sjs]

Originally posted by KellyJoe:
Found the FAQ.

Ahhh the endless opportunities to prove to the rest of the world that I am in fact a rookie.

Such as double-posting?

Do you know if the car has been lowered? As you've probably now learned that will increase negative camber (the culprit) and if you lower it more than about 1.25 inches you can't get the alignment back to stock. The good news is that more is better in terms of handling if you can take the pain.

 

[Ponyboy]

Or you can install the Comptech camber plates and get your lowered car back to the stock alignment settings.

Hey welcome to the fold! Congrats on your new ownership.

 

[Larry Bastanza]

Originally posted by Ponyboy:
Or you can install the Comptech camber plates and get your lowered car back to the stock alignment settings.

Ponyboy,

You will need to fill us in on this. For the NSX?? I just went to Comptech's site and I do not see anything like this. I was unaware there was such a thing.

A while ago someone did make rear camber adjusters, but they were not widely marketed if I recall.

Thanks,
LarryB

[This message has been edited by Larry Bastanza (edited 04 January 2003).]

 

[KellyJoe]

Originally posted by sjs:

Such as double-posting?

Exactly like double posting!

After reading the FAQ I think I'm gonna try to go with the extended tire wear setup versus a performance one. Going from a Ford Ranger to an NSX, I don't think I'll notice much difference by varying from factory specs.

 

[4AU4LIFE]

Wow from a Ranger to a NSX. That is a serious culture change.
Welcome aboard !!

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ALL NSX
92 RED/BLACK 5-SPEED

 

[nsxtasy]

Originally posted by KellyJoe:
After reading the FAQ I think I'm gonna try to go with the extended tire wear setup versus a performance one.

Keep in mind that most of the advice in the FAQ about alternative alignment settings is intended to extend tire wear in the rear, whereas you're asking about the wear on the front tires. With the stock alignment settings (and even more so the original '91 ones), most folks go through two to three sets of rear tires during the life of one set of front tires.

The wear on the front tires will be more even if you are a more aggr... I mean, more enthusiastic

driver than the previous owner...

 

[KellyJoe]

Originally posted by nsxtasy:
Keep in mind that most of the advice in the FAQ about alternative alignment settings is intended to extend tire wear in the rear, whereas you're asking about the wear on the front tires.

Thanks for the reponse. I was thinking exactly the opposite. The FAQ does have optimum for both from what I read. There were two different for front though. One taking out some toe and all camber and the other taking out all camber and toe to -0.3 minimum. Guess I'll just pick one and see what happens.

 

[sjs]

Originally posted by nsxtasy:
...The wear on the front tires will be more even if you are a more aggr... I mean, more enthusiastic

driver than the previous owner...

I think nsxtasy means more wear overall, but possibly more even across the tread as hard cornering increases wear on the outside. Of course, on the street it would probably take a great deal of very enthusiastic driving to make a big difference.

 

[Ponyboy]

Hi Larry, check the Prime thread on Comptech Camber Plates or go to their web site and check out their NSX specific forum.

 

[1HOT NSX]

Try reducing the toe out in front and keep it negative. I went to almost 0 toe out on my '99 and greatly increased the life of my front tires. They are still new on the outside as I replace them but my second set lasted me 12K instead of 7K miles. The only side effect is that it does not feel as solid at high speed (over 120 mph) as it used to - I also reduced the toe in in the rear but kept it positive - which is important for directional stability at speed.

 

[nsxtasy]

Originally posted by sjs:
I think nsxtasy means more wear overall, but possibly more even across the tread as hard cornering increases wear on the outside.

I meant the latter - more even wear across the tread, rather than wearing the inside edge first.

While there is certainly a difference in tire wear between racetrack/aggressive driving and sedate driving, there is also a difference in tire wear between city/country road driving and primarily interstate highway driving. Either of these factors can affect wear patterns.

 

[Paul65K]

So just to be clear what is the front and rear settings for OPTIMUM tire life for sedate Street/Interstate driving assuming one would be willing to sacrifice the extra handling?




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97 NSX-T Black/Tan - New
00 Mercedes 420CLK (Cab)
93 Cadillac Allante (Northstar)
83 Cessna 303 (Crusader)

 

[Larry Bastanza]

Ponyboy,

Thanks, I just read that thread. Cool. Can't wait to see them.

Thanks,
LarryB

 

[sjs]

Originally posted by Paul65K:
So just to be clear what is the front and rear settings for OPTIMUM tire life for sedate Street/Interstate driving assuming one would be willing to sacrifice the extra handling?

Zero camber all around. As for toe, it would be zero also if non-OEM tires. With OEM tires it may still be zero but with their have built-in scrub you may find that a bit if toe-in up front is better.

Honestly though, I don't think you'll like the way it feels with everything zeroed.

 

[SuncoastNSX]

another problem is the factory selection of tires, Yokohama in some years. Most people replace with the same, these tires are notoriously soft. You may want to try Toyo Proxes T1-s, same traction and temp, but much greater wear, and same great quiet ride. May help to extend life of tires to above 10k

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[sjs]

Originally posted by SuncoastNSX:
another problem is the factory selection of tires, Yokohama in some years. Most people replace with the same, these tires are notoriously soft. You may want to try Toyo Proxes T1-s, same traction and temp, but much greater wear, and same great quiet ride. May help to extend life of tires to above 10k

It's not that the OEM rubber is soft so much as the built-in scrub that makes them wear faster than a tire such as the T1-S. The Toyo is a nice tire and handles well, but will not have the same crisp feel and turn-in of the OEM tires with OEM alignment. Yes, I have used both.